Material separator system utilizing air flow

Abstract

A system for sorting seeds or other discrete objects in which the discrete objects are successively passed through adjacent vertical chambers. Upwardly directed air flows are created in the chambers directing some of the discrete objects to exit openings. Discrete objects not passing through the exit opening leading from a chamber will be directed to an adjacent chamber by a tilted screen leading to a passageway between the adjacent chambers. The air flows within the chambers are separately controlled.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for sorting a plurality of discrete objects and separating said discrete objects into separate groups based on one or more physical characteristics of said discrete objects, said apparatus comprising, in combination: chamber defining means including chamber walls defining a plurality of separate vertically oriented chambers, said chamber walls having passageways between adjacent chambers of said plurality of chambers and exit openings spaced upwardly from said passageways communicating with said chambers;   gaseous flow inducing means operatively associated with said chamber defining means for creating upwardly directed gaseous flows in said plurality of chambers to entrain discrete objects located therein, cause upward movement of said discrete objects upwardly toward said exit openings, and exit of discrete objects from said chambers through said exit openings;   control means for separately and independently controlling the velocity of the upwardly directed gaseous flow in each chamber of said plurality of chambers; and   conveying means for conveying discrete objects not exiting from a chamber through an exit opening due to entrainment by the gaseous flow therein through one of said passageways to an adjacent chamber and into the gaseous flow in said adjacent chambers; said gaseous flow inducing means comprising a plurality of motors and a plurality of fans, each of said fans being connected to a separate motor and rotatable thereby to create an upwardly directed gaseous flow in a single chamber of said plurality of chambers.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a control operatively associated with each of said fans for modifying the rotational speed thereof. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the control operatively associated with each of said fans modifies the speed of the respective motor connected thereto. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said conveying means includes a screen extending across each of said chambers for supporting discrete objects therein and allowing the passage of upwardly directed gaseous flow therethrough, each said screen being disposed at an angle to direct discrete objects supported thereby toward a passageway between adjacent chambers under the influence of gravity. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said screens are selectively independently removable from said passageways to allow replacement of said screens. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said screens are disposed at different vertical levels to form a downward cascade of discrete objects during passage of said discrete objects between adjacent chambers through said passageways. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim 1 additionally comprising discrete object supply means for supplying discrete objects to said first chamber. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said discrete object supply means comprises a hopper elevated relative to said first chamber and having a hopper outlet for supplying discrete objects to said first chamber. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to claim 8 additionally comprising means for vibrating said hopper. 
     
     
       10. A method of sorting a plurality of discrete objects and separating said discrete objects into separate groups based on one or more physical characteristics of said discrete objects, said method comprising the steps of: introducing discrete objects into a first chamber having a first passageway and a first exit opening spaced upwardly from said first passageway:   directing a first upwardly directed gaseous flow through a screen into said first chamber;   entraining discrete objects in said first chamber in said first upwardly directed gaseous flow;   passing at least some of said first gaseous flow through said first exit opening along with discrete objects entrained thereby;   moving through said first passageway the discrete objects which did not pass through said first exit opening into a second chamber having a second passageway and a second exit opening spaced upwardly from said second passageway;   directing a second upwardly directed gaseous flow through a screen into said second chamber;   entraining discrete objects which moved through said first passageway into said second chamber in said second upwardly directed gaseous flow;   passing at least some of said second gaseous flow through said second exit opening along with discrete objects entrained thereby;   moving through said second passageway the discrete objects which did not pass through said second exit opening; and   conveying discrete objects on said screens to said passageways.   
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 10 including the additional step of independently controlling the velocity of the gaseous flows in said first and second chambers. 
     
     
       12. The method according to claim 10 wherein said screens are tilted and wherein the discrete objects are conveyed on said screens at least partially by gravity. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus for sorting a plurality of discrete objects and separating said discrete objects into separate groups based on one or more physical characteristics of said discrete objects, said apparatus comprising, in combination: chamber defining means including chamber walls defining a plurality of separate vertically oriented chambers, said chamber walls having passageways between adjacent chambers of said plurality of chambers and exit openings spaced upwardly from said passageways communicating with said chambers;   gaseous flow inducing means operatively associated with said chamber defining means for creating upwardly directed gaseous flows in said plurality of chambers to entrain discrete objects located therein, cause upward movement of said discrete objects upwardly toward said exit openings, and exit of discrete objects from said chambers through said exit openings;   control means for separately and independently controlling the velocity of the upwardly directed gaseous flow in each chamber of said plurality of chambers;   conveying means for conveying discrete objects not exiting from a chamber through an exit opening due to entrainment by the gaseous flow therein through one of said passageways to an adjacent chamber and into the gaseous flow in said adjacent chamber; and   a top wall disposed above each of said chambers and above said exit openings engageable by the upwardly directed gaseous flows in said chambers to direct said upwardly directed gaseous flows and discrete objects entrained thereby through said exit openings, at least one vent opening located in said top wall for venting at least portions of said upwardly directed gaseous flows into the ambient atmosphere.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to claim 13 additionally comprising vent adjustment means for adjusting the size of said vent opening. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus for sorting a plurality of discrete objects and separating said discrete objects into separate groups based on one or more physical characteristics of said discrete objects, said apparatus comprising, in combination: chamber defining means including chamber walls defining a plurality of separate vertically oriented chambers, said chamber walls having passageways between adjacent chambers of said plurality of-chambers and exit openings spaced Upwardly from said passageways communicating with said chambers;   gaseous flow inducing means operatively associated with said chamber defining means for creating upwardly directed gaseous flows in said plurality of chambers to entrain discrete objects located therein, cause upward movement of said discrete objects upwardly toward said exit openings, and exit of discrete objects from said chambers through said exit openings;   control means for separately and independently controlling the velocity of the upwardly directed gaseous flow in each chamber of said plurality of chambers; and   conveying means for conveying discrete objects not exiting from a chamber through an exit opening due to entrainment by the gaseous flow therein through one of said passageways to an adjacent chamber and into the gaseous flow in said adjacent chamber, at least some of said chamber walls being transparent for allowing observation of movement of said discrete objects in said chambers.   
     
     
       16. Apparatus for sorting a plurality of discrete objects and separating said discrete objects into separate groups based on one or more physical characteristics of said discrete objects, said apparatus comprising, in combination: chamber defining means including chamber walls defining a plurality of separate vertically oriented chambers, said chamber walls having passageways between adjacent chambers of said plurality of chambers and exit openings spaced upwardly from said passageways communicating with said chambers;   gaseous flow inducing means operatively associated with said chamber defining means for creating upwardly directed gaseous flows in said plurality of chambers to entrain discrete objects located therein, cause upward movement of said discrete objects upwardly toward said exit openings, and exit of discrete objects from said chambers through said exit openings;   control means for separately and independently controlling the velocity of the upwardly directed gaseous flow in each chamber of said plurality of chambers;   conveying means for conveying discrete objects not exiting from a chamber through an exit opening due to entrainment by the gaseous flow therein through a passageway to an adjacent chamber and into the gaseous flow in said adjacent chamber; and   discrete object discharge chutes for receiving and discharging discrete objects after passage thereof through said exit openings.